George,

George Bush's explanation to the 9/11 Commission of why he continued to read My Pet Goat to Florida school children for six minutes after Andrew Card told him that the World Trade Center is intriguing. The 9/11 Commission states he, "...felt he should project strength and calm until he could better understand what was happening."

Certainly the more charitable and Republican among us are entitled to interpret freezing as the most advanced of coolness. To me it looked like the Choke of the Century.

Best,

Ham Caldwell (electronic mail, July 13, 2004)